# Pony-Loving Fanboys Bronies Are a Growing Group of Male 'My Little Pony' Enthusiasts By Marissa Brassfield | Published 2011-06-13 | Life-Stages Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bronies References: [wired](http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/06/bronies-my-little-ponys/) & [hubworld](http://www.hubworld.com/my-little-pony/shows/friendship-is-magic) "Bronies" are a growing group of male fans who love My Little Pony. The 80s cartoon was updated and released last fall on Hub TV and has since inspired a legion of online fans who gather to share [fan videos](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/anime-music-video), pony art and even [chiptune music](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/whole-new-sound) inspired by the kids' show. Wired interviewed Lauren Faust, who created the new My Little Pony franchise, to ask her about the growing bronies phenomenon. "The fact that [men] were open-minded and cool enough and secure in their masculinity enough to embrace it and love it and go online and talk about how much they love it -- I'm kind of proud," she said. Hub TV has even altered its advertising to appeal to the bronies market. The video above is [Hasbro's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/my-little-pony-nfts) reworking of "California Gurls" by Katy Perry, called "Equestria Girls." The animated ponies in the video sing about bronies rather than California girls. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.8/10 - Popularity: 28% | Activity: 79% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Life-Stages](https://www.trendhunter.com/life-stages) > [Youth](https://www.trendhunter.com/youth) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Growing Male Fanbase:** The emergence of bronies, male fans of My Little Pony, highlights a trend of traditionally gendered media finding new audiences. - **Online Fandom Communities:** The rise of online communities centered around shared interests like My Little Pony creates opportunities for fan engagement and participation. - **Reimagined Advertising Strategies:** Hub TV's adaptation of its advertising to target the bronies market reflects a trend of brands catering to niche consumer groups. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Entertainment:** The entertainment industry could explore new content creation and distribution strategies to capitalize on the expanding fanbase of shows like My Little Pony. - **Toy and Collectibles:** The toy and collectibles industry can tap into the bronies market by developing merchandise that specifically appeals to this growing fanbase. - **Advertising and Marketing:** The advertising and marketing industry can learn from Hub TV's targeted approach to reach niche consumer groups like bronies, creating opportunities for innovative campaign strategies. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Toy Pony NFTs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/my-little-pony-nfts.md) - [Whimsical Coffee Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/whimsical-coffee.md) - [Pony Franchise-Inspired Trading Cards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/my-little-pony-friendship.md) - [Virtual Horse Racing Hubs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ride-with-us.md) - [Multipurpose Beauty Booster Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-manytrick-pony.md) - [Vintage-Inspired Digital Audio Players](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hires-player.md) - [Horse-Supporting NFTs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/horse-nfts.md) - [Gen Alpha Animated Toy Promotions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mrbeast-lab-the-descent.md) - [Synthwave Music Stream Expansions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lofi-boy.md)